Medications that are contraindicated for ER/PR + BC patients

Posted by tullynut @tullynut, 1 day ago

I am an ER/PR+ Breast Cancer patient, 5 years out from dx/mastectomy/treatments. I am overweight by about 20-30 pounds from "ideal" weight (between upper/lower range of 'normal'). At age 73, I do a fast walk of about 2 miles 4-5 times every week in about 35 minutes, stay active, avoid sweets, try to follow a high protein diet, worked with nutritionist. I am 20 pounds lighter than I was when diagnosed with Breast Cancer but can't seem to make the scale budge anymore without medications, that are limited because of the Hormone Positive Breast Caner history. I am beyond sick and tired of every doctor visit (cancer related or not) adding in comments and discussion about my weight and "helpful" suggestions to get a little more exercise, watch what I eat, etc. Last years' go 'round included a frank discussion with my new Oncology Doctor. He shook his head and told me that as a Hormone Positive Breast Cancer patient there were very few medications I could take, none of the current "wonder drugs" would be OK for me. He also told me that the AI medication causes fat cells to continue to stored in the body to a higher degree than non AI patients so weight loss was VERY difficult to achieve. I am going to meet with my PCP doctor (who used to be a cancer doctor (gyn) to restart Phentermine (it helped me lose about 15 pounds a year ago and was OK'd by the Oncologist as well). I will ask if adding Toprimate (often the 2 show up together with greater overall success rates) is an OK medication to take for a Hormone Positive BC patient. Anyone have any experience with Toprimate?

I want to get to a weight NUMBER that will STOP the seemingly never ending focus on the number on a scale (that totally disregards that I am a very muscular woman who regularly fast-walks for at least 2 miles several days per week, avoids sweets, etc and is, other than a history of previous breast cancer, VERY healthy and fit). It pains me to even have to write this. Thanks.

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Rubyslippers | @triciaot | 1 day ago

I’m 70, ER/PR+ DCIS two years ago. I seem to finally have a way to manage my weight. Spent most of my adult life 20+-lbs overweight. Although I still fluctuate I have managed without having to measure every food I eat.

The first big difference was using a smaller plate. I use a 6” glass pie plate, if the food doesn’t fit, I don’t eat it. The higher sides make it easier to manage the food - doesn’t slide off like a small flat plate would. I think it a misnomer to say that we can eat large amount of greens or vegetables with no consequences. For me, I can’t keep my weight under control while eating large green salads with veggies, and large portions of low calorie veggies like broccoli. The plate size means I don’t have to think as much about the food - I had just gotten so tired of focusing on every bite of food I put in my mouth. I’m not sure anyone who has not dieted for years even understands what that feels like.

I’m also eating mostly the Mediterranean diet without the wine. For the first year eating these type of foods I would occasionally check if I was following recommendations. But I did not, and do not, plan meals using a diet list or diet planner. Now it’s not a chore to “think” Mediterranean food - I just naturally choose grains/greens/beans as the basis for lunch and dinner.

The other way I deal with fluctuations- which I now catch if I go up 2-4 lbs is by limiting food intake for a couple of days, not usually consecutive days. I don’t measure the food. Easiest way is to serve myself the portion I normally eat then remove about 1/4 of it, maybe 1/2 of it if it’s a high fat food.

I know I could control weight fluctuations if I followed the 5/2 way of eating. 5 days of normal eating, and 2 days of very low calorie intake. I’m not there yet. I’m working on increasing my broth based recipes so I have more to choose from for low calorie options.

I’m so sorry that walking away from a doctor’s appointment you don’t feel good about all the RIGHT things you are doing, with a little bad news. It’s “the stick or the carrot method” for impacting behavior - it’s proven the stick method doesn’t work as well, but people still like to use it!